Baku, March 16, AZERTAC

“Almost 20 per cent of the internationally recognized part of Azerbaijan - Nagorno-Karabakh and seven districts, which surround Nagorno-Karabakh, are under Armenian occupation,” said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the opening ceremony of 5th Global Baku Forum under the slogan "The Future of Foreign Relations: Power and interests".

“All the infrastructure is destroyed. All our historical and religious monuments are destroyed. The OSCE fact-finding mission sent delegations and groups of observers to the occupied territories and their reports clearly show that all the buildings and historical heritage of Azerbaijan have been destroyed. This conflict is a result of Armenian aggression against its neighbor. It’s a result of separatism and a result of war against Azerbaijan. And million Azerbaijanis suffered from that. They became refugees, and internally displaced persons.”

The President said that all the important international organizations adopted resolutions and decisions, which demand the withdrawal of occupational Armenian forces from Azerbaijan`s lands. “United Nations Security Council, which is a top body on international arena, adopted four resolutions demanding and I quote “immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories”. But these resolutions remain on paper. Armenia ignores them, and already 25 years have passed since that time. So, this all shows also that the lack of mechanisms of implementation of the decisions of international organizations, particularly UN Security Council on the one hand.”

“On the other hand, it shows again the lack of consistency because we all know that in some cases resolutions of Security Council are implemented within days if not hours. But in our case it takes 25 years and still there is no progress. Our refugees, internally displaced persons still cannot go back to their native lands. And we consider this the policy of double standards. In general, I think the recent developments in the world show that the policy of double standards, unfortunately, becomes kind of a standard in international relations and the norms and principles of international law are being interpreted by different countries with respect to their preferences and current political interests.”

The head of state said: “If the decisions are adopted but not implemented, of course, not only the countries, which suffer, will suffer more, but the world will be in danger because that means that any country can use its force in order to change situation, in order to occupy territories, in order to cause sufferings to millions of people and not be punished. Therefore, we have raised many times the issue in front of international organizations, and in front of countries that for this aggression, occupation and war crimes, which Armenia committed against peaceful Azerbaijani citizens, Armenia must be sanctioned. Then, it will be fair. Then, it will be a single standard. In one case countries are sanctioned, in other case they are not.”

“The conflict resolution must be based on international law, and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored. Now people have the right to return to their homelands. This is a danger for the region. Unresolved Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict possesses permanent danger to stability and peace. We want to resolve this conflict peacefully, but we want to resolve it. Armenia wants to keep the status quo unchanged and ignores the strong statements of the mediators, which are three permanent members of Security Council - France, Russia and United States, whose leaders on many occasions have said that status quo is not acceptable, and status quo must be changed. And change of status quo means the beginning of de-occupation of the territory of Azerbaijan,” President Ilham Aliyev added.